TV star David Walliams fronts horse racing for free around Yorkshire this Christmas

This Christmas, Yorkshire Racecourse Wetherby, Catterick and Doncaster are offering a range of festive and fun-filled family days out, with under 18s going completely free of charge, in a campaign fronted by TV personality and author, David Walliams.

Great British Racing’s Under 18s Race Free campaign has been created to highlight the fact that young people can go racing for free at almost every single British racecourse, on almost every single day of the year.

Many of the racecourses will also put on a huge variety of free additional family-friendly activities and entertainment, including visits from Father Christmas and his reindeer, story-telling, funfair rides, carol singing and even ice-skating, all of which takes place alongside a brilliant backdrop of horseracing.

Wetherby kicks off its two-day Christmas Festival on Boxing Day, with tickets starting at just £8 and accompanied under 18s being admitted free. The course also hosts a fun-filled afternoon of racing on Friday January 4, 2019.

Catterick races on both Friday December 28 and Tuesday January 1, with complimentary mulled wine and mince pies on offer during the December event. Tickets start at just £5, with accompanied under 18s being admitted for free.

Meanwhile, Doncaster invites under 18s to enjoy their Twixmas Raceday on Saturday December 29 for free, with tickets starting at £9 and additional, family-friendly entertainment including fairground rides (small charge applies) and a Brass Band.

David Walliams, a Britain’s Got Talent judge and star of hit TV show Little Britain, teamed up with Great British Racing to create a series of comedy sketches that promote the fact that under 18s race free.

The series, entitled ‘Horsing Around’ and written by Walliams, also stars The Crown actor, Billy Jenkins.

Keen to teach his father (Walliams) about a day at the races, Billy has to endure his father’s bumbling character in a series of scenes, including an awkward encounter with former champion jockey Ryan Moore, meeting a racehorse, experiencing the excitement of the parade ring as well as watching a race by the rails.

David Walliams said: “The Under 18s Race Free initiative is a brilliant concept that I hope more families will take advantage of.”

Click here watch Horsing Around and to find your local family raceday this Christmas.